Cat-Scratch Disease

RAHWAY, N.J.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced that the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) issued a positive opinion for BRAVECTO ® (fluralaner) 150 mg/ml powder and solvent for suspension for injection for dogs. The CVMP recommends the product for approval for the treatment and persistent killing of fleas ( Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides canis ) and ticks ( Rhipicephalus sanguineus , Ixodes ricinus , Ixodes hexagonus , and Dermacentor reticulatus ) for 12 months. If the European Commission (EC) adopts the recommendation, this injectable formulation of BRAVECTO can be used by or under the supervision of a veterinarian and for administration to dogs and puppies six months of age and older. “Since our initial launch of BRAVECTO nearly a decade ago, Merck Animal Health has been committed to bringing innovations to our customers that protect pets longer from flea and tick infestations and the associated health risks,” said Rick DeLuca, executive vice president and president, Merck Animal Health. “With today’s positive opinion of this injectable formulation of BRAVECTO, the first and only once-yearly injectable flea and tick medication, pet owners are one step closer to a new, convenient option to help ensure year-round comprehensive protection from fleas and ticks without the need for administering multiple doses of medication.” Certain ticks can transmit serious infections in dogs. Many ticks can live in both warm and cold temperatures and are known to feed on dogs, 1 making continuous year-round protection of utmost importance for pets and people. “Though people often think of flea and tick season during the summer months, studies have shown that while fleas and ticks are most active from early spring through the fall, they can be a threat year-round,” said Holger Lehmann, vice president, Pharmaceutical Research & Development, Merck Animal Health. “If approved, a once-yearly dosing of BRAVECTO injectable can provide a long duration of protection, simplifying care for both pet owners and veterinarians. This promotes compliance and helps ensure continuous protection.” Based on the CVMP’s recommendation, the EC is expected to issue a decision for marketing authorization in the European Union (EU) during the first quarter of 2024. About BRAVECTO ® (fluralaner) Since its introduction in 2014, BRAVECTO has provided longer-lasting flea and tick protection, with more than 300 million doses distributed in more than 100 countries. BRAVECTO is available in a variety of formulations, including products for both dogs and cats. The flea and tick life cycles can also last for months and missed doses of monthly treatments may leave gaps in protection. Providing pets with continuous flea and tick protection is essential – whether the pet goes outside or not. Contrary to popular belief among pet parents, fleas and ticks are not only active in the spring and summer months, but they are a year-round risk. Fleas and ticks can easily infest dogs and cats. They also can bite and pose health risks to human family members whether at home or outdoors. Ticks can spread serious diseases including rickettsiosis, anaplasmosis and borreliosis (Lyme disease), while fleas are the most common external parasite found on pets and can transmit bartonellosis (Cat Scratch disease) and tapeworms. About Merck Animal Health At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals ® , Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com and connect with us on LinkedIn , Facebook , X (Formerly Twitter) and Instagram . Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that the candidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of the global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site ( www.sec.gov ). References [1] Probst J, Springer A, Topp AK, Bröker M, Williams H, Dautel H, Kahl O, Strube C. Winter activity of questing ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus) in Germany− Evidence from quasi-natural tick plots, field studies and a tick submission study. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. 2023 Nov 1;14(6):102225.

DUBLIN--( BUSINESS WIRE )--The "Saudi Arabia Veterinary Testing Services Market, By Animal Type (Companion Animals v/s Livestock), By Testing Category (Analytical Services, Diagnostic Imaging, Bacteriology, Pathology, Immunoassays, Others), By Diseases, By Region, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Saudi Arabia veterinary testing services market is bound to experience impressive growth with anticipated CAGR in the forecast period, 2023-2027, on the account of rising concerns among the pet owners regarding their pet's health. Increasing advancement in the veterinary healthcare services and increasing researches are further driving the growth of the Saudi Arabia veterinary testing services market in the upcoming five years. Moreover, advancing pharmaceutical products and their availability for the animal welfare in the country are further supporting the growth of the Saudi Arabia veterinary testing services market in the next five years. Animal Welfare Concerns Drive Market Growth Rapidly growing population of companion animals like cats, dogs, camels, etc. is majorly responsible for the growth of the Saudi Arabia veterinary testing services market in the upcoming five years. With increasing companion animal population, the pet owners are quite concerned regarding long and short term health conditions of their pets. Thus, the surge in the demand for better healthcare facility, advanced pharmaceutical products, along with therapeutics and testing services are anticipated to further support the growth of the Saudi Arabia veterinary testing services market in the next five years. Increasing demand for animal based food products like milk & dairy products, poultry products, etc. is also substantiating the growth of the Saudi Arabia veterinary testing services market in the future five years. Rising concerns toward food products and its safety, and after consideration of various diseases being caused due to consumption of animal products, maintenance of health and wellbeing of the animals is a serious issue and generates higher demand for the veterinary testing services. Effective test guarantee early diagnosis of any infectious of chronic disease in the livestock animals. Increasing livestock indirectly influences market growth too. Technological Advancement Leads Market Growth Rapidly growing healthcare system in the country is also focused on animal healthcare as much as it is concerned toward human healthcare systems. Growing advancements in the veterinary therapeutics along with the pharmaceutical sector is driving the market growth in the upcoming five years. Rapidly increasing instances of zoonotic diseases like cat scratch disease is increasing in the country and supporting the growth of the Saudi Arabia veterinary testing services market in the next five years. Quality diagnostic services like routine hemogram, serum biochemistry, immunology, bacteriology, serology, virology, histopathology, parasitology, analytical services, molecular diagnostics and toxicology for animal species substantiate the growth of the Saudi Arabia veterinary testing services market in the upcoming five years. Increasing research and product development in the sector like better and efficient diagnostic tests, reagent kits, and advances procedures to identify disease, or disorder and provide treatment, are expected to aid market growth in the future five years. A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes Riyadh Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory My Pet Clinic The Khobar Veterinary Clinic European Veterinary Clinic Elite Veterinary Clinic Key Topics Covered: 1. Product Overview 2. Research Methodology 3. Impact of COVID-19 on Saudi Arabia Veterinary Testing Services Market 4. Executive Summary 5. Voice of Customer 6. Saudi Arabia Veterinary Testing Services Market Outlook 6.1. Market Size & Forecast 6.1.1. By Value 6.2. Market Share & Forecast 6.2.1. By Animal Type (Companion Animals v/s Livestock) 6.2.2. By Testing Category (Analytical Services, Diagnostic Imaging, Bacteriology, Pathology, Immunoassays, Others) 6.2.3. By Diseases (Infectious Diseases, Non-Infectious Diseases, General Ailments, Others) 6.2.4. By Region 6.2.5. By Company (2021) 6.3. Product Market Map 7. Saudi Arabia Companion Animals Testing Services Market Outlook 7.1. Market Size & Forecast 7.1.1. By Value 7.2. Market Share & Forecast 7.2.1. By Testing Category 7.2.2. By Diseases 8. Saudi Arabia Livestock Animals Testing Services Market Outlook 8.1. Market Size & Forecast 8.1.1. By Value 8.2. Market Share & Forecast 8.2.1. By Testing Category 8.2.2. By Diseases 9. Market Dynamics 9.1. Drivers 9.2. Challenges 10. Market Trends & Developments 11. Policy & Regulatory Landscape 12. Saudi Arabia Economic Profile 13. Competitive Landscape 13.1. Competition Outlook 13.2. Company Profiles 13.2.1. Riyadh Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory 13.2.2. My Pet Clinic 13.2.3. The Khobar Veterinary Clinic 13.2.4. European Veterinary Clinic 13.2.5. Elite Veterinary Clinic 14. Strategic Recommendations For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ywheu8-arabia?w=4 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. 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Using bacteria of the Bartonella henselae species, researchers have demonstrated that antibodies can prevent certain surface proteins of bacterial pathogens from entering host cells. The findings are important for the development of new drugs against highly resistant infectious agents. Using bacteria of the Bartonella henselae species, researchers from Goethe University, Frankfurt University Hospital, the Paul Ehrlich Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines in Langen, and the University of Oslo demonstrated for the first time that antibodies can prevent certain surface proteins of bacterial pathogens from entering host cells. The findings are important for the development of new drugs against highly resistant infectious agents. Infections, especially those with highly resistant pathogens, pose a significant threat to human health. It is dangerous when pathogens manage to colonize the organism and subsequently cause severe infections. The first step in such an infection always consists of the pathogens attaching themselves to the host cells' surface. From here, the infections spread, resulting, for example, in infections of deeper tissue layers and organs. A group of scientists surrounding Prof. Volkhard Kempf from Frankfurt University Hospital's Institute of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene has now succeeded in blocking this adhesion mechanism in a bacterium, thereby preventing the infection of host cells. For this purpose, the researchers examined the pathogen Bartonella henselae, usually causing cat scratch disease. Transmitted by cats, the disease mainly affects young children, whose symptoms include swollen and hardened lymph nodes around the site of infection -- usually following a scratch or bite injury caused by infected cats. Bartonella bacteria infect so-called endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels. Via their surface protein Bartonella adhesin A (BadA), they attach themselves to a protein (fibronectin) of the so-called "extracellular matrix," a network of protein fibers that lie on top of the endothelial cells. To determine which parts of the BadA protein are important in the bacterial adhesion process, the researchers equipped Bartonella bacteria with various genetically modified BadA variants, among others, and then analyzed the extent to which these variants were still able to bind fibronectin. Once it was clear which BadA segments were responsible for the binding, the team produced antibodies against them, using cell culture experiments to show for the first time that such antibodies can prevent infection by such bacteria. Prof. Volkhard Kempf explains: "Bartonella henselae is not a very dangerous pathogen, and in most cases, cat scratch disease does not require any specific medical treatment. However, for us Bartonella henselae is a very important model organism for far more dangerous pathogens such as Acinetobacter baumannii, a serious pathogen that usually causes wound infection or pneumonia and often shows resistance to several last-choice antibiotics. The BadA protein of Bartonella henselae belongs to the so-called 'trimeric autotransporter adhesins', which are also responsible for adhesion to human cells in Acinetobacter and a number of other pathogens. A drug-induced blocking of these adhesins is therefore a promising novel and future approach to combat dangerous bacterial infections."